arXiv subjects

Christos Efthymiopoulos

Publications and source records attributed to Christos Efthymiopoulos.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Semi-analytical estimates for the orbital stability of Earth's satellites

Normal form stability estimates are a basic tool of Celestial Mechanics for characterizing the long-term stability of the orbits of natural and artificial bodies. Using high-order normal form constructions, we provide three different estimates for the orbital stability of point-mass satellites orbiting around the Earth. i) We demonstrate the long term stability of the semimajor axis within the framework of the $J_2$ problem, by a normal form construction eliminating the fast angle in the corresponding Hamiltonian and obtaining $H_{J_2}$ . ii) We demonstrate the stability of the eccentricity and inclination in a secular Hamiltonian model including lunisolar perturbations (the 'geolunisolar' Hamiltonian $H_{gls}$), after a suitable reduction of the Hamiltonian to the Laplace plane. iii) We numerically examine the convexity and steepness properties of the integrable part of the secular Hamiltonian in both the $H_{J_2}$ and $H_{gls}$ models, which reflect necessary conditions for the holding of Nekhoroshev's theorem on the exponential stability of the orbits. We find that the $H_{J_2}$ model is non-convex, but satisfies a 'three-jet' condition, while the $H_{gls}$ model restores quasi-convexity by adding lunisolar terms in the Hamiltonian's integrable part.

math.DS↗

arXiv2019

Chaotic transport of navigation satellites

Navigation satellites are known from numerical studies to reside in a dynamically sensitive environment, which may be of profound importance for their long-term sustainability. We derive the fundamental Hamiltonian of GNSS dynamics and show analytically that near-circular trajectories lie in the neighborhood of a Normally Hyperbolic Invariant Manifold (NHIM), which is the primary source of hyperbolicity. Quasi-circular orbits escape through chaotic transport, regulated by the NHIM's stable and unstable manifolds, following a power-law escape time distribution $P(t) \sim t^{-α}$, with $α\sim 0.8 - 1.5$. Our study is highly relevant for the design of satellite disposal trajectories, using manifold dynamics.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2019

Bohmian trajectories in an entangled two-qubit system

In this paper we examine the evolution of Bohmian trajectories in the presence of quantum entanglement. We study a simple two-qubit system composed of two coherent states and investigate the impact of quantum entanglement on chaotic and ordered trajectories via both numerical and analytical calculations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Accurate modelling of the low-order secondary resonances in the spin-orbit problem

We provide an analytical approximation to the dynamics in each of the three most important low order secondary resonances (1:1, 2:1, and 3:1) bifurcating from the synchronous primary resonance in the gravitational spin-orbit problem. To this end we extend the perturbative approach introduced in Gkolias et. al. (2016), based on normal form series computations. This allows to recover analytically all non-trivial features of the phase space topology and bifurcations associated with these resonances. Applications include the characterization of spin states of irregular planetary satellites or double systems of minor bodies with irregular shapes. The key ingredients of our method are: i) the use of a detuning parameter measuring the distance from the exact resonance, and ii) an efficient scheme to `book-keep' the series terms, which allows to simultaneously treat all small parameters entering the problem. Explicit formulas are provided for each secondary resonance, yielding i) the time evolution of the spin state, ii) the form of phase portraits, iii) initial conditions and stability for periodic solutions, and iv) bifurcation diagrams associated with the periodic orbits. We give also error estimates of the method, based on analyzing the asymptotic behavior of the remainder of the normal form series.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2018

Semi-analytic computations of the speed of Arnold diffusion along single resonances in a priori stable Hamiltonian systems

Cornerstone models of Physics, from the semi-classical mechanics in atomic and molecular physics to planetary systems, are represented by quasi-integrable Hamiltonian systems. Since Arnold's example, the long-term diffusion in Hamiltonian systems with more than two degrees of freedom has been represented as a slow diffusion within the `Arnold web', an intricate web formed by chaotic trajectories. With modern computers it became possible to perform numerical integrations which reveal this phenomenon for moderately small perturbations. Here we provide a semi-analytic model which predicts the extremely slow-time evolution of the action variables along the resonances of multiplicity one. We base our model on two concepts: (i) By considering a (quasi-)stationary phase approach to the analysis of the Nekhoroshev normal form, we demonstrate that only a small fraction of the terms of the associated optimal remainder provide meaningful contributions to the evolution of the action variables. (ii) We provide rigorous analytical approximations to the Melnikov integrals of terms with stationary or quasi-stationary phase. Applying our model to an example of three degrees of freedom steep Hamiltonian provides the speed of Arnold diffusion, as well as a precise representation of the evolution of the action variables, in very good agreement (over several orders of magnitude) with the numerically computed one.

math-ph↗

arXiv2018

Origin of chaos near three-dimensional quantum vortices: A general Bohmian theory

We provide a general theory for the structure of the quantum flow near 3-d nodal lines, i.e. one-dimensional loci where the 3-d wavefunction becomes equal to zero. In suitably defined co- ordinates (co-moving with the nodal line) the generic structure of the flow implies the formation of 3-d quantum vortices. We show that such vortices are accompanied by nearby invariant lines of the co-moving quantum flow, called X-lines, which are normally hyperbolic. Furthermore, the stable and unstable manifolds of the X-lines produce chaotic scatterings of nearby quantum (Bohmian) trajectories, thus inducing an intricate form of the quantum current in the neighborhood of each 3-d quantum vortex. Generic formulas describing the structure around 3-d quantum vortices are provided, applicable to an arbitrary choice of 3-d wavefunction. We also give specific numerical examples, as well as a discussion of the physical consequences of chaos near 3-d quantum vortices.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Secondary resonances and the boundary of effective stability of Trojan motions

One of the most interesting features in the libration domain of co-orbital motions is the existence of secondary resonances. For some combinations of physical parameters, these resonances occupy a large fraction of the domain of stability and rule the dynamics within the stable tadpole region. In this work, we present an application of a recently introduced `basic Hamiltonian model' Hb for Trojan dynamics, in Paez and Efthymiopoulos (2015), Paez, Locatelli and Efthymiopoulos (2016): we show that the inner border of the secondary resonance of lowermost order, as defined by Hb, provides a good estimation of the region in phase-space for which the orbits remain regular regardless the orbital parameters of the system. The computation of this boundary is straightforward by combining a resonant normal form calculation in conjunction with an `asymmetric expansion' of the Hamiltonian around the libration points, which speeds up convergence. Applications to the determination of the effective stability domain for exoplanetary Trojans (planet-sized objects or asteroids) which may accompany giant exoplanets are discussed.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2017

Chaos in de Broglie - Bohm quantum mechanics and the dynamics of quantum relaxation

We discuss the main mechanisms generating chaotic behavior of the quantum trajectories in the de Broglie - Bohm picture of quantum mechanics, in systems of two and three degrees of freedom. In the 2D case, chaos is generated via multiple scatterings of the trajectories with one or more `nodal point - X-point complexes'. In the 3D case, these complexes form foliations along `nodal lines' accompanied by `X-lines'. We also identify cases of integrable or partially integrable quantum trajectories. The role of chaos is important in interpreting the dynamical origin of the `quantum relaxation' effect, i.e. the dynamical emergence of Born's rule for the quantum probabilities, which has been proposed as an extension of the Bohmian picture of quantum mechanics. In particular, the local scaling laws characterizing the chaotic scattering phenomena near X-points, or X-lines, are related to the global rate at which the quantum relaxation is observed to proceed. Also, the degree of chaos determines the rate at which nearly-coherent initial wavepacket states lose their spatial coherence in the course of time.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Partial Integrability of 3-d Bohmian Trajectories

In this paper we study the integrability of 3-d Bohmian trajectories of a system of quantum harmonic oscillators. We show that the initial choice of quantum numbers is responsible for the existence (or not) of an integral of motion which confines the trajectories on certain invariant surfaces. We give a few examples of orbits in cases where there is or there is not an integral and make some comments on the impact of partial integrability in Bohmian Mechanics. Finally, we make a connection between our present results for the integrability in the 3-d case and analogous results found in the 2-d and 4-d cases.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Hamiltonian formulation of the spin-orbit model with time-varying non-conservative forces

In a realistic scenario, the evolution of the rotational dynamics of a celestial or artificial body is subject to dissipative effects. Time-varying non-conservative forces can be due to, for example, a variation of the moments of inertia or to tidal interactions. In this work, we consider a simplified model describing the rotational dynamics, known as the spin-orbit problem, where we assume that the orbital motion is provided by a fixed Keplerian ellipse. We consider different examples in which a non-conservative force acts on the model and we propose an analytical method, which reduces the system to a Hamiltonian framework. In particular, we compute a time parametrisation in a series form, which allows us to transform the original system into a Hamiltonian one. We also provide applications of our method to study the rotational motion of a body with time-varying moments of inertia, e.g. an artificial satellite with flexible components, as well as subject to a tidal torque depending linearly on the velocity.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2016

Dynamical models and the onset of chaos in space debris

The increasing threat raised by space debris led to the development of different mathematical models and approaches to investigate the dynamics of small particles orbiting around the Earth. Such models and methods strongly depend on the altitude of the objects above Earth's surface, since the strength of the different forces acting on an Earth orbiting object (geopotential, atmospheric drag, lunar and solar attractions, solar radiation pressure, etc.) varies with the altitude of the debris. In this review, our focus is on presenting different analytical and numerical approaches employed in modern studies of the space debris problem. We start by considering a model including the geopotential, solar and lunar gravitational forces and the solar radiation pressure. We summarize the equations of motion using different formalisms: Cartesian coordinates, Hamiltonian formulation using Delaunay and epicyclic variables, Milankovitch elements. Some of these methods lead in a straightforward way to the analysis of resonant motions. In particular, we review results found recently about the dynamics near tesseral, secular and semi-secular resonances. As an application of the above methods, we proceed to analyze a timely subject namely the possible causes for the onset of chaos in space debris dynamics. Precisely, we discuss the phenomenon of overlapping of resonances, the effect of a large area-to-mass ratio, the influence of lunisolar secular resonances. We conclude with a short discussion about the effect of the dissipation due to the atmospheric drag and we provide a list of minor effects, which could influence the dynamics of space debris.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2016

Geostationary secular dynamics revisited: application to high area-to-mass ratio objects

The long-term dynamics of the geostationary Earth orbits (GEO) is revisited through the application of canonical perturbation theory. We consider a Hamiltonian model accounting for all major perturbations: geopotential at order and degree two, lunisolar perturbations with a realistic model for the Sun and Moon orbits, and solar radiation pressure. The long-term dynamics of the GEO region has been studied both numerically and analytically, in view of the relevance of such studies to the issue of space debris or to the disposal of GEO satellites. Past studies focused on the orbital evolution of objects around a nominal solution, hereafter called the forced equilibrium solution, which shows a particularly strong dependence on the area-to-mass ratio. Here, we i) give theoretical estimates for the long-term behavior of such orbits, and ii) we examine the nature of the forced equilibrium itself. In the lowest approximation, the forced equilibrium implies motion with a constant non-zero average `forced eccentricity', as well as a constant non-zero average inclination, otherwise known in satellite dynamics as the inclination of the invariant `Laplace plane'. Using a higher order normal form, we demonstrate that this equilibrium actually represents not a point in phase space, but a trajectory taking place on a lower-dimensional torus. We give analytical expressions for this special trajectory, and we compare our results to those found by numerical orbit propagation. We finally discuss the use of proper elements, i.e., approximate integrals of motion for the GEO orbits.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2016

Origin of chaos in 3-d Bohmian trajectories

We study the 3-d Bohmian trajectories of a quantum system of three harmonic oscillators. We focus on the mechanism responsible for the generation of chaotic trajectories. We demonstrate the existence of a 3-d analogue of the mechanism found in earlier studies of 2-d systems, based on moving 2-d `nodal point - X-point complexes'. In the 3-d case, we observe a foliation of nodal point - X-point complexes, forming a `3-d structure of nodal and X-points'. Chaos is generated when the Bohmian trajectories are scattered at one or more close encounters with such a structure.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

New Hamiltonian expansions adapted to the Trojan problem

A number of studies, referring to the observed Trojan asteroids of various planets in our Solar System, or to hypothetical Trojan bodies in extrasolar planetary systems, have emphasized the importance of so-called secondary resonances in the problem of the long term stability of Trojan motions. Such resonances describe commensurabilities between the fast, synodic, and secular frequency of the Trojan body, and, possibly, additional slow frequencies produced by more than one perturbing bodies. The presence of secondary resonances sculpts the dynamical structure of the phase space. Hence, identifying their location is a relevant task for theoretical studies. In the present paper we combine the methods introduced in two recent papers (Paez & Efthymiopoulos, 2015, Paez & Locatelli, 2015) in order to analytically predict the location of secondary resonances in the Trojan problem (SEE FILE FOR COMPLETE ABSTRACT)

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2016

Analytical forms of chaotic spiral arms

We develop an analytical theory of chaotic spiral arms in galaxies. This is based on the Moser theory of invariant manifolds around unstable periodic orbits. We apply this theory to the chaotic spiral arms, that start from the neighborhood of the Lagrangian points L1 and L2 at the end of the bar in a barred-spiral galaxy. The series representing the invariant manifolds starting at the Lagrangian points L1, L2, or unstable periodic orbits around L1 and L2, yield spiral patterns in the configuration space. These series converge in a domain around every Lagrangian point, called "Moser domain" and represent the orbits that constitute the chaotic spiral arms. In fact, these orbits are not only along the invariant manifolds, but also in a domain surrounding the invariant manifolds. We show further that orbits starting outside the Moser domain but close to it converge to the boundary of the Moser domain, which acts as an attractor. These orbits stay for a long time close to the spiral arms before escaping to infinity.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2016

The theory of secondary resonances in the spin-orbit problem

We study the resonant dynamics in a simple one degree of freedom, time dependent Hamiltonian model describing spin-orbit interactions. The equations of motion admit periodic solutions associated with resonant motions, the most important being the synchronous one in which most evolved satellites of the Solar system, including the Moon, are observed. Such primary resonances can be surrounded by a chain of smaller islands which one refers to as secondary resonances. Here, we propose a novel canonical normalization procedure allowing to obtain a higher order normal form, by which we obtain analytical results on the stability of the primary resonances as well as on the bifurcation thresholds of the secondary resonances. The procedure makes use of the expansion in a parameter, called the detuning, measuring the shift from the exact secondary resonance. Also, we implement the so-called `book-keeping' method, i.e., the introduction of a suitable separation of the terms in orders of smallness in the normal form construction, which deals simultaneously with all the small parameters of the problem. Our analytical computation of the bifurcation curves is in excellent agreement with the results obtained by a numerical integration of the equations of motion, thus providing relevant information on the parameter regions where satellites can be found in a stable configuration.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2015

Modeling Trojan dynamics: diffusion mechanisms through resonances

In the framework of the ERTBP, we study an example of the influence of secondary resonances over the long term stability of Trojan motions. By the integration of ensembles of orbits, we find various types of chaotic diffusion, slow and fast. We show that the distribution of escape times is bi-modular, corresponding to two populations of short and long escape times. The objects with long escape times produce a power-law tail in the distribution.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2014

Trojan resonant dynamics, stability, and chaotic diffusion, for parameters relevant to exoplanetary systems

We investigate the dynamics of small trojan exoplanets in domains of secondary resonances within the tadpole domain of motion. We consider the limit of a massless trojan companion of a giant planet. Without other planets, this is a case of the elliptic restricted three body problem (ERTBP). The presence of more planets (the restricted multi-planet problem, RMPP) induces new direct and indirect secular effects on the trojan's dynamics. In the theoretical part of this paper, we develop a Hamiltonian formalism in action-angle variables, which allows to treat in a unified way resonant dynamics and secular effects on the trojan body in both the ERTBP or the RMPP. Our formalism leads to a decomposition of the Hamiltonian in two parts, $H=H_b+H_{sec}$. $H_b$, called the basic model, describes resonant dynamics in the short-period (epicyclic) and synodic (libration) degrees of freedom. $H_{sec}$ contains only terms depending on slow (secular) angles. $H_b$ is formally identical in the ERTBP and the RMPP, apart from a re-definition of angular variables. An important physical consequence is that the slow chaotic diffusion proceeds in both the ERTBP and the RMPP by a qualitatively similar dynamical mechanism better approximated by the paradigm of `modulational diffusion'. In the numerical part, we focus on the ERTBP for making a numerical demonstration of the chaotic diffusion process along resonances. Using color stability maps, we provide a survey of the resonant web for characteristic mass parameters of the primary, in which the secondary resonances from 1:5 to 1:12 (ratio of the short over the synodic period) and their resonant multiplets appear. We give numerical examples of diffusion of weakly chaotic orbits in the resonant web. We make a statistics of the escaping times in the resonant domain, and find power-law tails of the distribution of escaping times for slowly diffusing chaotic orbits.

astro-ph.EP↗